Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-10-29
The Seventeenth nj Evor.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette

Tlie Seventeenth al EvOr.
Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.
IvoR, Oct. 24.-Having long bsG desire
to visit this place, our old camping ground,
snd being called TO this section by business,
| took the train on the Norfolk and Western
railroad and was soon deposited here. In
stead OF finding the Ivor Of other days with
its ore store house, one warehouse, wheel.
wright and blacksmith shop and depot, l
found it considerably enlarged. with its out
ekirts extending some distance On The road
in the direction of Berlin. 1t now contains
eight or ten stores, some very large and ap-
parently doing good business. The resi-
dences here and in the immediate vicinity
are neat. well built and Of modern style
| that is south Ivor, or en- the right of the
railroad. On the left, extending in the di-
rection of the Blackwater, there are no i'm
provemepts, other than that the depot build
lng has been enlarged. The same large pine
trees that so beautifully arched that splendid
read and made it an avenue of beauty, still
stand there.
The mere mention of Ivor will doubtless
awaken within the minds Of the boys of the
old Seventeenth Virginia regiment recollec
..UuS o. iu6 llultS speul ueIe uuilDS tuC Wal
of the kind people of this grand old couD-
" OF Southampton and the bright eyes of
the pretty girls Of this section; indeed,
saw several young ladies here shopping"
30 DAY, whose handsome faces and figures
reminded me ofthe ladies of 1863, doubtless
their mothers, who almost broke the hearts
of some Of our old comrades. We do not
forget the moonlight walks in the frosty air,
how the boys would run the blockade. the
numerous corn.shuckiDgs the neighborhood
dances, sociabies and starvation parties, as
well as some elaborate dinner parties. Alto
gethe7 we e1ill never forget the whole-souled
hospitable and hearty Virginia welcome we
received at the hands ofSouthampton's stur.
dy sons and lovely and accomplished
daughters.
After our return to Petersburg from our
short campaign in South Western Virginia
nuG East Tennessee, our regiment received
orders to embark on the train for "Ivor sta
ton" to 90 into camp and to act as the out
post command between Suffolk, which was
occupied By the enemy and Petersburg !;
being about 80 miles from the latter and
about % from Suffolk So on October Sth,
1868, we reached our destination, and here
remained until January 23d, 1864. Imme
diately upon our arrival we went to work
with view to making ourselves comforta.
BILE. Our camping grounds were selected
on the left Or north side of therailroad about
100 yards west of tho depot. Our camp
was laid off in regulation order and in good
style. and very soon We were snugly fixed
winter. This same lot is now called Camp
field" by the people of the neighborhood.
| AS walked over it felt that could almost
locate tho spot OF every tent.
! "The Army OF tie Blsckwater," as our lit
tie command was sometimes styled, was
composed of the Seventeenth Virgins regi.
ment, Sturdeyant's battery Of artillery and
several companies of cavalry. Our duty
was to protect the fountier; or, in other
words, TO watch the enemy and keep of his
raiding parties, and we'll the work was per-
formed, under the command of Col. Arthur
| Herbert. We all remember Windsor. Zuni
Smithfield, Isle of Wight G. H, Bacon's
Castle and ether places as objective points in
some of our expeditions and whilst we had
no bloody battles on the line of the Black.
water, still we performed good work in
saving Southampton and the adjoining coun'
ties from the "heel of the invader" and pre-
venting the devastation that usually follow
cd in the wake of the enemy. Col. Herbert
acted with the greatest liberality toward the
man in granting privileges and passes, and
our little social stay at lvor was doubtless
the most pleasant time of our army expert
euce. The names of many Of the good peo
Pile OF this neighborhood are still remember
ed BIZ US, for they contributed much to oul
pleasure. We have not forgotten the Urqu
harts. with their delightful homes, theil
princely hospitality, their open handed lib
erality and wonderful resources. They moi
only contributed comforts TO our soldiers
but from their abundance they added to the
scanty supplies ofhundreds oftheirless favor.
ed neighbors. Then were member theBoykins
Griffiths, Pretloes Davises, and many other:
who will never be forgotten by our appreci
alive boys l went into the hadquarter Of
flee which was occupied by the Colonel, alsC
through the old store building in which we
had our grand tournament ball and sunni ptu
GUS supper and the ceremony ofcrowning tht
queen and her maids of honor. l well re-
member the active part taken on that occa
sion by that noble soldier, Capt. Jas. NJ
Steuart. Our efforts were certainly big
success for war times. The occasion, The
coroSation, the music, refreshmens-bott
solid and huid-the dancing, and the large
company of ladies' and gentlemen were al
that could have been wished. Then The
tournament was splendid success-spiriteC
horses, fine riders, good music and q large
crowd of spectators. The large ole
oak tree near the starting place in the
touruament, still stands, and it was nea
the root of that tree that one of our galan
Knights was thrown from his horse, origina
ting the jestiDg rhyme, gotten up by th
boys and SO familiar to US at that time
The Knight of the Golden Cross, Soon fei
off his Horse.p 1 met with several gentle
men who were small boys when we wer
located here, and they we'll remember 81
the incidents connected with our stay.
| I went into the old wheelright sho